Vehicle door support



De@ i7, 1935. R L SCHQNH'ZER Y 2,924,885

VEHICLE DOOR SUPPORT Filed July 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l W INVENTOR.

Dec. 17, 1935.

R. 1. scHoNlTzER '2,024,885

VEHICLE DOOR SUPPORT Filed July 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.`

BY Y y Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES rArENT OFFICE y 10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle door supports adaptedto prevent relative play between the door and its frame and rattlingthereof when the door is closed, and pertains to that class ofinventions set forth in my previous application forDoor supports, Ser.No. 606,941, filed April 22, 1932.

One of the objects of this invention is to incorporate in a structurehaving a door frame and a door hinged therein automatically operablemeans whereby the door when closed in its frame is held therein so thatvibratory relative movement of the door when closed and its frame, moreparticularly in directions parallel With the plane of the door, issubstantially obviated.

Usually, to facilitate operations in the manufacture of vehicle bodiesthe doors are so proportioned relative to the frames as to permit thedoors to be fitted in their frames readily without binding whichordinarily allows play of the door in its frame with resultant vibratoryaction therebetween' when the vehicle is in motion.

A further object of the invention is to provide supports operablyassociated with the door and its frame by means of which the door whenclosed is rmly sustained in its frame independently of its hinges andlook whereby movement of the door in the plane of the frame iscircumvented.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description.

The invention as herein illustrated and described With reference tocertain physical embodiments is of a preferred form and is susceptibleof modification and may be embodied in various other forms within thescope of my claims without departure from the spirit of the invention.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention in a preferred form is shownin the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle body equipped with theinvention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a detail horizontal section of Fig. 1 on the line 2-2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a similar detail horizontal section of Fig. 1 on the line 3-3thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a section projected from Fig. 2 in a plane at right anglesthereto.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown a vehicle bodyI rprovided with a sill 2, roof-rail 3, hinge pillar 4 and lock-pillar 5arranged to form a door frame in the usual manner. In the opening of theframe is disposed a door 6 that is supported upon hinges 'I whichconnect the hinge-rail 8 of the door with the hinge-pillar variations ofthe clearance space and alinement of 10,.

the door within the door opening in the frame such as ordinarily occurin manufacture and during use of the vehicle.

The hinge-pillar 4 of the frame has contact members or stops I3 securedin connection thereis with located preferably adjacent the top andbottom of the door opening, and which project from the butt face yIII ofthe hinge-pillar 4 into the clearance space I2 so that when the door isclosed the butt face I5 thereof bears with force against 2,0 said stops.

In the lock-pillar 5 of the frame and exposed upon the butt face I6thereof is secured a hollow guide block II the front of which is openand in which is disposed a take-up member I8 that 25 has horizontalmovement therein transverse to the lock-pillar. Preferably, the upperand lower edges of the take-up member I8 and the corresponding innerfaces 20 of the block Il extend divergently whereby the take-up memberis held 30 in operative position in the block. Rods 2| disposedlengthwise in the block I'I extend loosely through the take-up member,and compression springs 22 disposed concentrically upon the respectiverods extend from the inner end 23 of 35 the block into correspondingcounterbores 24 `in the take-up member and urge said member toward itsoutermost end position. The outer face 25 of the take-up member I8slants outwardly toward its inner end and projects into 40 the clearancespace I2 between the lock-pillar 5 and the lock-rail I0 of the door.

Upon the butt face 26 of the lock-rail I Il of the door is rigidlysecured a contact member 2l at a point thereon located so as to have en-45 gagement with the take-up member I8 when the door is closed. Theouter face of the contact member 21 extends preferably in a planeparallel with the engaging face of the take-up member y I 8. The guideblock with its spring-pressed take- 50. up member and the contact memberconstitute a take-up support that co-operates with the stops I3 insustaining the door when closed against movement toward and from thelock and hinge pillars, and compensates for the variations in the 55,v

clearance space between the frame pillars and the door.

Preferably, suitable spacers 28 are interposed between the guide blockI'I and the lock-pillar 5, and between the contact member 21 and thelock-rail ID of the door to bolster the take-up support and also todeaden sound incidental to concussions occasioned by closing the door.

As a further means to circumvent frictional sounds and to providelubrication for the movable take-up member I8, a recess 29 is made inthe back thereof which is filled with a suitable oil-laden wick 30 bywhich lubricant is supplied to the contacting surfaces of the take-upmember and its block.

The clearance space I2 is closed to the interior of the Vehicle bodywhen the door is shut, by means of suitable trimmings 3| applied in theusual manner.

In operation, when the door is open the movable take-up memberl I8 isheld in its outermost end position against the corresponding outer end23' of its guide block I1, and as the door is swung to closed positionin the door-frame the contact member 2'I engages the take-up memberwhich is thereupon accommodatingly moved in opposition to the pressureof the springs 22 until the door is secured against the buffers 9 by itslock II. Concurrently with closing of the door, the stops I3 are movedinto bearing engagement with the butt-face I5 of the hinge-rail of Vthedoor so that when closed the door is held by the stops and the take-upsupport `in a state of compression horizontally betweenthe hinge andlock pillars of the frame, whereby vibratory movement or play of thedoor between said pillars is taken up. Thus, upon closing of the doorits hinges are materially relieved of the strain due to the weight orvibratory action of the. door which insures silence and prolongs thelife of the hinge connections and lock for the door as well asV the doorand its frame.

'The present invention may be used in conjunction with that disclosed inmy said previous application by installing in connection with theroof-rail 3 and the top-rail 3 of the door a take-up Vsupport 32,k andin connection with the sill 2 and'bottom rail 2' a pair of opposingcontact-members'BB and 34 so as to suitably take up vertical play of thedoor between the sill and roof-rail. In such instance when the door isclosed it is wedged between the hinge and lock pillars and also betweenthe sill and roof-rail so that relative movement between the door andframe vertically as well as fore and aft in their common plane iscompletely obviated.

While there are shown but two stops I3 in the drawings operativelyassociated with the hingerail of the door and hinge pillar of the frame,and but a single take-up support operatively associated with thelock-rail of the door and lockpillar of the frame, if so desired thestops may be more ,numerous'and distributed at suitable points on thehinge-pillar or the hinge-rail. Alsog'the take-up support may beaugmented by installing additional similar supports at suitablelocations in connection with the lock-rail and lock-pillar and thuseffect a more general distribution of the sustaining pressure applied tothe door.

I claim:-

atively associated with the hinge-rail of the door Aand the hinge-pillarof the frame, and a take-up support constituted of members mounted inconnection with the lock-rail of the door and lockpillar of the framefao-operatively associated with said stops to prevent fore `and aftmovement of 5 said door within said frame.

2. Means to support a hinged door when closed. and in the door-frame ofa vehicle and independently of the hinges thereof, consisting of stopsso located as to form bearings between the hinge-rail of the door andthe hinge-pillar oi the frame, and a take-up support operatively'associated with the lock-rail of the door and the lock-pillar of theframe so arranged that when the door is shut opposing pressure isapplied to the door between said stops and take-up member to preventvibration of said door within said frame.

3. In means to support a hinged door when closed and in the door-frameof a vehicle and 20 independently of the hinges thereof, stopsoperatively associated with the hinge-rail of the` door and thehinge-pillar of the frame, and a support inY connection with thelock-rail of the door and lock-pillar of the frame having a 25spring-pressed take-up member and complemental contact memberco-operatively associated with said stops adapted to take up fore andaft play of the door in said frame when the door is closed, andcompensate for variations in the30 clearance and alinement of the doorrespecting said frame.

4. In means to support a, hinged door in the door frame of a vehicle,contact membersV operatively associated with the hinge-rail of the 35door and the hinge-pillar of the frame and with the bottom of the doorand sill of the frame, an-d take-up supports operatively associated withthe lock-rail of the door and lock-pillar of the frame and with the topof the door and the 40 roof-rail of the frame, said contact members andtake-up supports being so arranged that when the door is shut opposingpressure is applied to the door vertically and fore and aft between saidcontact members and corresponding take-up supports.

5, In means to support a hinged door when closed and in the door frameof a vehicle and independently of the hinges thereof,V a series ofcontact members and take-up supports opera- A tively associated with thedoor and frame of the vehicle arranged in connection therewith inopposite positions so that when shut the door is sustained within theframe between said contact members and take-up supports under verticaland fore and aft pressure and independently of the door hinges.

6. In combination with a vehicle body provided with a door frame, a doorhinged therein and a lock securing the door in closed position in 'saidframe, of means for supporting the door when closed independently of itshinges and comprising a Aseries of stops and take-up supports arrangedoperatively in connection with the door and frame in relatively oppositepositions, said supports having spring-pressed movable members andcomplemental contacting members co-operatively associated with saidstops soY arranged that when shut the door isV sustained thereby undervertical and fore and aft pressure in the frame between said stops andsupports independently of the door hinges.

7. The combination with a vehicle body having a door frame, a doorhaving clearance within Athe frame, and door hinges, of meansy to sup- Vport the door when closed independently of its hinges comprising a stoplocated between the hinge edges of the door and frame, and pressureexerting means located between the lock edges of the door and frame forapplying pressure to the door in one direction and to the frame in theopposite ydirection to bind the door between said pressure exertingmeans and said stop to prevent movement of the door within andindependently cf the frame.

8. The combination with a vehicle body having a door frame, a doorhaving clearance within the frame, and door hinges, of means to supportthe door when closed independently of its hinges comprising a stoplocated between the hinge edges of the door and frame, and pressureexerting means located between the lock edges of the door and frame forautomatically applying pressure to the door in one direction and to theframe in the opposite direction upon closing the door to bind the doorbetween 'said pressure exerting means and said stop to prevent movementof the door within and independently of the frame.

9. The combination with a vehicle body having a door frame, a doorhaving clearance within the frame, and door hinges, of means to supportthe door when closed independently of its hinges comprising a rigid doorstop carried by the hinge pillar of the door frame for engagement by thehinge edge of the door when the latter is closed, and pressure exertingWedge means located between the lock edges of the doorl and frame forautomatically applying pressure to the door in one direction and to theframe in the opposite direction upon closing the door to bind the doorbetween said pressure exerting means and said stop to prevent movementof the door within and independently of the frame. 10

10. The combination with a vehicle body having a door frame, a doorhaving clearance within the frame, and door hinges, of a stop locatedbetween the hinge edges of the door and frame,

pressure exerting means located between the lock 15 edges of the doorand frame for applying pressure to the door in one direction and to theframe in the opposite direction to bind the door between said pressureexerting means and said stop,

and other pressure exerting means located be- 20 tweenthe top rail ofthe door and the top rail of the frame and also between the bottom railof the door and the bottom rail of the frame, said pressure exertingmeans' applying pressure to the door in one direction and to the framein 25 the opposite direction. i

RUDOLPH I. SCI-IONITZER.

